Housing and Urbanism in Barcelona
Robert Wiener
Human Ecology
Dr. Robert Wiener is the Director Emeritus of the California Coalition for Rural Housing (CCRH), where he served as Executive Director for 43 years until stepping down in January 2024. CCRH is one of the oldest state low-income housing coalitions in the U.S. Under his leadership, CCRH played a major role in federal and state housing policy and program efforts that have resulted in billions of dollars in financing, as well as land use supports, for production of new rental housing, self-help housing, farm labor housing, housing preservation, and other areas of housing provision. He has also overseen over 15 federal grants for provision of technical assistance and training to community-based and tenants organizations, tribes, and local governments in the San Joaquin Valley and other regions of the state, including needs assessments and design and implementation of local housing and community development programs and strategies. In 2006, he was honored as the “Inspirational Nonprofit Housing Leader of the Year” by the Nonprofit Housing Association of Northern California and as a “Housing Hero” by the Cabrillo Economic Development Association. In 2013, CCRH was recognized as “Rural Organization of the Year” at the annual conference of the National Community Reinvestment Coalition in Washington, D.C. In 2023, he was inducted into the Affordable Housing Hall of Fame by the California Housing Consortium and awarded a “Lifetime Achievement Award” by the California Coalition for Rural Housing.
A Message to Students and Parents
Since my earliest childhood, I have been involved in social movements and policy campaigns for economic, racial, and environmental justice. For about six years, my family and I lived in public housing. I didn’t realize it then but my experience there planted the seeds for a lifetime commitment to affordable housing for low-income and marginalized populations. I was the first member of my family to attend college where I was inspired by the growth of Community Development Corporations (CDCs) and their role in implementing community-based housing solutions. I also became a voracious international traveler, studying abroad in my junior year and since then embracing every opportunity to learn about other cultures and ways of living.
In 2002 and 2004, I had the opportunity to travel to Barcelona for the first time through an exchange program between the University of California system and the Government of Catalonia. I had become intrigued with the city after watching the 1992 Olympics. It was love at first sight! Working with my new Barcelona colleagues, we designed an intensive, hands-on practicum for students interested in innovative housing solutions and urban design in one of the world’s most exciting and creative cities.
Beyond its enchanting ramblas, beaches, plazas, cafes, and architecture, Barcelona offers a rich public culture shaped by a desire for community association. You can read about places like this in books, but it is no substitute for first-hand experience. The city you will learn about is one that is different—and much richer—than the city that tourists find. In our class, you will get an insider’s view of the city’s neighborhoods and you will hear firsthand from prominent architects, planners and activists who are shaping its landscapes. Few cities have as much to teach us as Barcelona, and I hope you will join me for an exciting four weeks that will change the way you think about housing, cities, and yourself."